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The Buffalo Bills are living in the moment.

Los Angeles developers are stalking an NFL team for relocation, their owner is 92 years old and reports about the latest labor negotiations indicate small-market teams could have a tougher time competing in the new NFL economy.

Bills chief executive officer Russ Brandon claimed they can't afford to worry about the long-term future of the franchise. He said Thursday afternoon "we focus on the here and now."

But it's rather evident by his words the Bills are simultaneously concerned with here and there, straddling the U.S.-Canadian border.

"Regionalization works," Brandon said, "and it will be a linchpin to everything that we do from a business standpoint moving forward."

A news conference to discuss Friday night's unveiling of the Bills new uniform inevitably turned toward this week's lockout talks and how the club could be impacted by the next collective bargaining agreement.

ESPN.com senior writer John Clayton has reported the latest proposal framework includes mechanisms that require teams to spend almost all the way to the salary cap in current player payroll. That would make it tougher for the Bills to maintain the profitability it's used to.

Under the previous CBA, teams could spend just under 90 percent to the ceiling in cap figures, which could include dead money being paid to players no longer on the roster.

"I think the response is we just focus here and we focus now on everything that we can control, and that's keeping this building full, keeping all of our business platforms full," Brandon said. "We're a volume business. We're a very affordable business, as you know here with our ticket prices, and that's what we focus on.

"My job and everyone's job in this organization is to focus on this organization and our fans and that’s really what we do on a day-in and day-out basis."

Brandon declined to discuss specifics of the latest CBA proposal, but it wasn't difficult to gather the Bills' viability depends on Canadian interests.

The Bills have been forced to get creative over the past dozen years or so. Brandon said their attempts to regionalize the club have paid off. They moved training camp to St. John Fisher College in the Rochester area in 2000.

The Bills sold off five regular-season and three preseason games to Toronto for $78 million, the annual series running from 2008 through 2012.

Both agreements are likely to continue. Brandon said the Bills' season-ticket base from Southern Ontario has grown 44 percent since they began playing games in Toronto.

"When you look at it from our standpoint we're always looking to do everything in our power to keep this team viable," Brandon said Thursday, "and as you've heard many times from me: regionalization, regionalization and regionalization.

"When you look at our region of totality it's a very large market, and we're looking to bring fans back to Ralph Wilson Stadium. It's been a very successful venture for us and we're going to continue that process moving forward."

Brandon's comments concurred with sentiments expressed by NFL commissioner Roger Goodell in a conference call with Bills season-ticket holders last month.

"We certainly hope the Buffalo Bills continue to be in Western New York," said Goodell, a native of nearby Jamestown, N.Y. "As a Western New York guy, I know how important it is to that region and how passionate our fans are there.

"The effort we've been going through with the Buffalo Bills and I would call the business leaders in the surrounding areas is to regionalize the team and to draw from a broader area, including Southern Ontario and the Toronto area. I believe that'll be good for the Bills to be successful in Buffalo."

Bills fans ought to get used to sharing. It would be better than waving.

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. -- Buffalo Bills fans have pondered some persistent questions over the years.

How would life have changed if Scott Norwood made that kick?

What will happen to the team when Ralph Wilson passes away?

Was the Music City Miracle really a forward lateral?

How on earth does Tom Modrak still have a job?

Modrak is Buffalo's vice president of college scouting. Modrak, formerly a Pittsburgh Steelers scout during their Steel Curtain years and director of football operations with the Philadelphia Eagles, has held the Bills' top scouting job since May 2001 and worked his first draft for them in 2002.

In that time, the Bills' streak of seasons without a playoff appearance has extended to 11 and counting. Despite holding prime draft-order slots, they have repeatedly squandered them with maddening first-round decisions.

The list is enough to make the most optimistic Bills fan groan: pass-rusher Aaron Maybin (zero sacks) 11th overall instead of Brian Orakpo (19.5 sacks) two years ago; small-school cornerback Leodis McKelvin 11th overall instead of Pro Bowl left tackle Ryan Clady in 2008; safety Donte Whitner with the eighth pick in 2006 and then trading up for defensive tackle John McCargo; trading up for quarterback J.P. Losman in 2004; useless tackle Mike Williams fifth in 2002.

"Certainly we've had our misses up at the top," Modrak said Tuesday at a news conference to preview next week's draft. "We've done pretty well in the middle and at the end, the non-glamour kind of picks. But we've missed some. That is regrettable."

There are additional selections one can criticize: wide receiver James Hardy in the second round; running back C.J. Spiller ninth overall even though the Bills had a pair of 1,000-yard rushers already ...

OK. I'll stop now. That's enough to illustrate why there's frustration over Modrak and his scouting department's evaluation skills.

The fact Modrak joined the Bills to serve under former president Tom Donahoe -- an executive Wilson and Bills fans came to despise -- only adds to fascination of Modrak's continued employment.

Now that I've set the table, let's yank the tablecloth out from underneath the plasticware.

Draft data suggest the Bills haven't drafted much worse than the average NFL team since 2002.

ESPN researcher John Fisher -- he claims no relation to St. John Fisher, the namesake of the college where the Bills hold their training camp -- shuffled some spreadsheets and came up with some information that's not particularly damning when compared to the rest of the NFL.

• The Bills have drafted five Pro Bowlers with Modrak in charge of scouting. That's tied for 14th in the league. One of those Pro Bowlers was Willis McGahee for the Baltimore Ravens, but Modrak was the chief scout who drafted him. What the Bills did with McGahee afterward that isn't his fault. Same goes for Marshawn Lynch.
• Although a game started for the Bills isn't as impressive as a game started for the New England Patriots the past nine years, Bills draftees from the first through third rounds have started 804 games, 15th in the league.
• Bills draftees from the fourth round or later have started 417 games, eighth in the league.
• When it comes to individual statistics accumulated with the teams that drafted them, Bills taken from 2002 onward have ranked third in 1,000-yard rushing seasons, tied for seventh in 1,000-yard receiving seasons, 20th in total sacks and 19th in total interceptions.

While the Bills have missed badly on several of their prominent selections, they have done quite well in the latter part of the draft with gems such as cornerback and Pro Bowl kick returner Terrence McGee (fourth round in 2003), Pro Bowl defensive lineman Kyle Williams (fifth round in 2006), receiver Steve Johnson (seventh round in 2008) and left tackle Demetrius Bell (seventh round in 2008).

Top running back Fred Jackson and perennial Pro Bowl left tackle Jason Peters -- traded to Philly two years ago -- weren't drafted at all.

"If you look at other teams, they do it. They miss at the top," Modrak said. "When you don't win, it's magnified. It looks bad.

"But I think from a strictly homer point-of-view [late-round success] is the work and the labor that goes into it and the detail that's paid to those kinds of things. That does not say that other teams don't do the same thing, but we have a good group, and we fortunately have done that."

The Bills have had some obvious blind spots in the draft.

A refusal to pick a tackle earlier than the fifth round since 2002 has hurt them. Peters' success as a converted tight end is a factor in that trend, but the Bills were having contract problems with him while he still was on the roster. Foresight would've been helpful. But that's an organizational philosophy more than Modrak's domain.

The Bills' track record at tight end is miserable, too. They've drafted five: Tim Euhus, Kevin Everett, Derek Schouman, Derek Fine and Shawn Nelson. Everett was the lone selection sooner than the fourth round. A broken neck while covering a kickoff on opening day in 2007 ended his career.

That tight end quintet has combined to score five NFL touchdowns. Of the 143 tight ends drafted since Modrak joined the Bills, 43 of them have scored more than five touchdowns individually.

Some might also say finding a quarterback has been a failure. Starting quarterbacks, however, aren't easy for any team to locate.

Forty-seven quarterbacks have been drafted within the first three rounds since 2002. The only three teams not included in this pursuit have been the Indianapolis Colts, New Orleans Saints and Dallas Cowboys. The Bills took two within the first three rounds, Losman 22nd overall in 2004 and Trent Edwards 92nd in 2007.

That league-wide group yielded nine Pro Bowlers, but just two of them -- 24th overall pick Aaron Rodgers and third-rounder Matt Schaub -- weren't selected in the top 11. Rodgers and Schaub served as backups for three seasons before they became starters.

Bills general manager Buddy Nix explained that scouting is only one of three critical phases that determine whether a draft pick explodes or fizzles.

"You've got to pick the right guy," Nix said Tuesday. "He's got to have enough athletic ability and enough intelligence, production to do the job, which is what you spend the year doing. We're scouts and personnel guys.

"The second phase, now -- and don't make light of it because it's just as important -- is coaching, strength coaches, trainers. That's the second phase, and both of those things have to be in place. If not, the development of the guy is retarded.

"I'm not going to name teams, but you can name teams every year that get top guys and they don't get any better. They actually may go the other way, and it's the developmental part."

Chan Gailey is Buffalo's fourth head coach -- fifth if you count interim coach Perry Fewell -- since Modrak came aboard. Coordinators have passed through a revolving door. The Bills also have overhauled their strength and conditioning program a couple times.

Nix then stressed that even if the precisely correct draft choice is made and the proper infrastructure is in place, a third phase still can torpedo development. The player can ruin his future if he's "not willing to be a professional and do everything it takes."

"You can go back and look at the so-called busts, and it's one of these three phases," Nix said. "You've got to have it all for them to be really good.

"So even though we put it all on one thing -- 'That was a terrible draft. That was a bust. Those idiots don't know.' -- that's just about a third of it."

Another element that must be considered when discussing Buffalo drafts is the question of who makes the final pick.

Nix and Gailey have been clear Nix makes the final call, although Wilson still can exercise his ownership privilege.

Before Nix became GM last year, trying to decipher who was to credit or blame for a Bills draft choice was like a "Three Stooges" scene. The irate boss hears a commotion, storms into the room and asks "Say! What's the wise idea? Who did this?" Moe pointed at Larry. Curly pointed at Moe. Larry pointed at Curly.

Modrak has been a constant since 2002, but there have been many voices in the Bills' draft room in that period, from Donahoe to GM Marv Levy to chief operating officer Russ Brandon to the various opinionated head coaches who lobbied for prospects they hotly desired.

The Bills' scouting department clearly needs to step its game up to help turn around the franchise. They'll never be the kind of team that lures top free agents because of their market conditions. Buffalo simply isn't as sexy as Miami or San Diego or New York and doesn't offer a perennial chance to win like New England or Pittsburgh does.

But, believe it or not, the Bills' drafts could have been substantially worse since Modrak arrived.

BUFFALO -- Cam Newton is in town to meet with the Buffalo Bills, but not before general manager Buddy Nix and head coach Chan Gailey spoke at a "State of the Bills" event for season-ticket holders at the Hyatt Regency downtown.

Nix revealed that the Bills will host Missouri quarterback Blaine Gabbert and Florida State quarterback Christian Ponder at One Bills Drive. No other quarterbacks have been scheduled, but Nix did say they've accounted for only 25 of their 30 allowable on-campus meetings.

"We might bring in a couple more," Nix said.

Nix admitted quarterback wasn't Buffalo's greatest need because they have reliable veteran Ryan Fitzpatrick. Even so, that doesn't mean there wouldn't be a monster payoff to picking up a future star.

"I think we've got a lot of needs," Nix told reporters after addressing the fans. "Let me just say this to you -- and try not to read anything into this and try not to connect the dots, now -- but if you wait until you do not have a quarterback to draft one, you're too late.

"Now our greatest need is not quarterback. It's definitely not quarterback. Invariably, if there's going to be a franchise guy there and one we deem as a guy that can go eight or 10 years, be the face of the organization and take us to the playoffs and win every year, you can't pass him up."

Gailey said he will be completely frank about Buffalo's quarterback situation when he speaks with Newton on Monday night and Tuesday. The visit will begin with a physical and then include meetings with the Bills' staff.

"I lay everything on the table with guys when they walk in here," Gailey said. "I try to get them to understand exactly who we are, what we're about, where we're going and how we plan to get there. And if we end up working together, this is how they might fit into the scheme and into the system."

The Bills also met with Newton at the NFL scouting combine in late February and had dinner with him the night before his March 8 pro day at Auburn.

Other notes from Monday night's event:

• Bills chief executive officer Russ Brandon said new season tickets and renews were selling better than at this time last year.
• Brandon reaffirmed the team's commitment to playing games in Toronto, stating their season-ticket base from Southern Ontario has grown 44 percent since the Bills started playing games there in 2008. The Bills are making $78 million off the series, which runs through 2012. Brandon suggested the Bills would be interested in extending after it expires.
• Brandon conceded if a new collective bargaining agreement hasn't been hammered out by late June or July, then training camp at St. John Fisher College "could be in peril" because of the "operational and logistical" elements that must be addressed ahead of time.
• Nix on talking about the draft at this time of year: "I want to make one thing clear. There's an unwritten rule that it's not a sin to tell a lie during pre-draft stuff. Everybody does it. It's accepted. So everything you hear or read or see, you need to keep in mind that about 10 percent of it's the truth."
• Gailey on how he views himself: "I'm not very flamboyant. That's just not me. I'm not a comedian. I'm not a theologian. I'm not a philosopher. I just coach football. I want to coach your football team and get us to where we want to be, and that's be champions again and have things rocking and rolling out at Ralph Wilson Stadium."
• Nix was pleased with in-season additions of offensive linemen Erik Pears, Mansfield Wrotto, Kraig Urbik and Chad Rinehart. Nix said Pears, a two-year starter for the Denver Broncos, could be the Bills' next right tackle, but added, "We also need another tackle. We need a tackle through the draft or through free agency -- if and when that happens."
• Gailey reiterated the Bills will play a hybrid defense rather than a straight 3-4 or a 4-3. Nix noted his scouting department is focused on 3-4 players, but will not dismiss a player simply because he's not a perfect fit.
• Nix will attend North Carolina's pro day Thursday to see defensive end Robert Quinn and Clemson's pro day Friday to check out defensive end Da'Quan Bowers, who reportedly has failed physicals because he hasn't recovered enough from knee surgery.
• Nix on Bowers' workout: "It's big for him. I'm not sure that you'd write him off if he's not completely healthy Friday. But it's time for him to show he either is healthy or that he needs more work and more time."

NEW ORLEANS -- Buffalo Bills founder Ralph Wilson was honored Monday night with one of five American Spirit Awards from the National World War II Museum in New Orleans.

Also honored at an event to coincide with the annual NFL meetings here were Tennessee Titans owner Bud Adams, New Orleans Saints owner Tom Benson, Detroit Lions owner William Clay Ford and San Diego Chargers owner Alex Spanos.

Wilson, 92, enlisted in the Navy during World War II and served in both the Atlantic and Pacific.

Wilson is not in attendance for the NFL owners meeting. He's represented by a contingent that includes chief operating officer Russ Brandon, executive vice president Mary Owen, treasurer Jeff Littmann, senior vice president Jim Overdorf, general manager Buddy Nix and head coach Chan Gailey.

The New Orleans Times-Picayune reported Monday the WWII Museum is kicking off a program that showcases how the NFL and football aided the war effort through selling bonds and donating gate revenues from exhibition games.

Buffalo Bills chief executive officer Russ Brandon has joined the list of NFL executives releasing statements about the NFL labor situation:

"We share our fans' disappointment with the news on Friday that the NFLPA has filed for decertification and a work stoppage has begun. We remain hopeful that a new and fair agreement can be reached in time to avoid any significant disruption to our preparations for the 2011 season. We believe that the quickest way to a fair agreement for everyone -- players, teams and fans -- is through negotiations facilitated by the mediator and not through litigation.

"As an organization, winning a championship continues to be our No. 1 goal. Under the direction of general manager Buddy Nix, our entire football staff is hard at work, preparing for the upcoming 2011 NFL draft, where we have the third overall selection. Coach [Chan] Gailey and his staff are also hard at work, preparing for when our team returns to the field. Concurrently, the administrative departments continue to work diligently on the day-to-day business operations in preparation for the season. ...

"We certainly appreciate the support and patience of our fans and we look forward to presenting a full season of exciting Buffalo Bills football in 2011."

» NFC Approach: East | West | North | South » AFC: East | West | North | South

» Draft Watch: Biggest needs (2/17) | Busts/gems (2/24) | Schemes, themes (3/3) | Recent history (3/10) | Needs revisited (3/17) | Under-the-radar needs (3/26) | History in that spot (3/31) | Draft approach (4/7) | Decision-makers (4/14) | Dream scenario/Plan B (4/21)

Each week leading up to the NFL draft (April 22-24), the ESPN.com blog network will take a division-by-division look at key aspects of the draft. Today’s topic: Draft approach.

Buffalo Bills

Buffalo's draft decision-makers have changed and morphed so often over the past decade there's no track record to suggest their strategy this year. Buddy Nix has been influential in past Bills' drafts, but this is his first go-round as general manager. We're not sure how much input new assistant GM Doug Whaley or new head coach Chan Gailey will have. But the front office is exuding a sense of direction it hasn't had in years. In their previous four drafts, nobody really knew who made the decisions and nobody would admit it. Former head coach Dick Jauron, top college scout Tom Modrak, former pro personnel director John Guy and former chief operating officer/GM Russ Brandon all were involved, but to what degree? Of that muddled group, only Modrak remains in his role.

Miami Dolphins

Maybe they're ready to loosen up now that a foundation has been established, but the Dolphins' modus operandi was pretty simple for the first two years under football operations czar Bill Parcells. They were coming off a 1-15 season and needed to be rebuilt carefully. Parcells, general manager Jeff Ireland and head coach Tony Sparano set out to make the safest picks. Because left tackles are surer things than quarterbacks, the Dolphins chose left tackle Jake Long first overall in 2008 and not Matt Ryan, for instance. Then the Dolphins came back in the second round for quarterback Chad Henne. In the first three rounds of the past two drafts, the Dolphins drafted a left tackle, two quarterbacks, two cornerbacks, two defensive ends and a wide receiver.

New England Patriots

Perhaps no club drafts with value in mind more than the Patriots do. Unlike the Jets, who'd rather shoot up in the order, the Patriots are more content to backpedal and collect more picks. In last year's draft, they started out with the 23rd selection, backed up to 26th and eventually ended up with the 41st, 73rd and 83rd. Dissatisfied with the talent pool and reluctant to invest first-round money in anybody on the draft board, the Patriots traded out of the first round completely and took four players in the second. The Patriots have an embarrassment of bargaining chips this year. New England is the only team with four choices in the first two rounds and already holds two selections in the 2011 first round. New England also led the league in compensatory picks, but those cannot be traded.

New York Jets

The Jets own the 29th selection of the draft, but it would be a stunner if they actually pick there. General manager Mike Tannenbaum is intrepid when it comes to making trades, famously moving up to nab cornerback Darrelle Revis, linebacker David Harris, quarterback Mark Sanchez and running back Shonn Greene within the past three drafts. Tannenbaum, however, might abandon the maverick approach this spring. The Jets have traded away so many draft choices, they need to replenish their depth for developmental purposes. That could mean moving back into the second round to collect more picks, or, at the very least, holding onto the ones they have. But if presented another chance to pounce, it'll be interesting to see if Tannenbaum succumbs to temptation.

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. -- Buffalo Bills general manager Buddy Nix got ornery while defending the club's search for a head coach and the decision to hire Chan Gailey.

At Tuesday afternoon's introductory news conference, Nix explained how Gailey fit the criteria: head coaching experience, an offensive mind with a track record of developing quarterbacks and character.

Nix then stiffarmed criticism of the hire after a two-month hunt that included several rejections along the way.

"I want you to know, with all due respect, I don't care," Nix said. "It don't bother me. I mean, everybody's got an opinion. You guys got a job to do, and I'm trying not to make it difficult.

"But my job is to get us the best guy to help us win games. And we found that guy. This guy met more of the criteria that I ever hoped we'd find. This guy's won everywhere he's been."

As much as Nix tried to make it seem like he was the natural selection, Gailey acknowledged he wasn't first choice for what Rochester Democrat & Chronicle columnist Leo Roth called "the Siberia of the NFL."

"I can't speak for other folks," Gailey replied, "but, shoot, you look at the history of the Buffalo Bills, and I've come in that stadium enough times to know about the fans of the Bills Nation. Who wouldn't want to come here?

"Maybe some guys had some personal reasons they didn't want to come here. Great! I'm glad because I get to come here."

Neither Bills owner Ralph Wilson nor chief executive officer Russ Brandon attended the news conference. That left Nix to address all the snubs. Nix claimed 80 percent of the reports were inaccurate but refused to go on the record about who specifically did or did not decline interview requests or reported offers.

Gailey has waited 11 years to become an NFL head coach again. He guided the Dallas Cowboys in 1998 and 1999. Only Art Shell and Joe Gibbs waited longer -- a dozen years apiece -- in between head-coaching gigs since 1980.

Gailey didn't coach in 2009. Kansas City Chiefs rookie head coach Todd Haley fired him as offensive coordinator right before the season started.

"I can't say anything to change anybody's mind," Gailey said. "All I can do is go try and help us win football games. If we win football games, everybody's mind will be changed, right? That's what'll happen.

"I will say this, there's been a lot of sixth- and seventh-round draft choices that have become Pro Bowlers. It's what you do with the opportunity when you get it."

Gailey clearly was referring to himself as that late-round draft pick, essentially embracing his status as a perceived underdog.

He's back in the NFL and in charge of his own team, one of only 32 in the world.

"I'm trying not to exaggerate, but we got 15 calls a day, begging for an interview and wanting this job," Nix said. "I could've hired 35 or 40 the first week. And you would be shocked at some of the names.

"Trust me, it's a good job. Don't ever think you can't fill coaching jobs even if they're bad. Oakland gets a lot of calls."

A pair of insightful blogs have been posted about the Buffalo Bills' approach to finding their next head coach.

Buffalo News reporter Mark Gaughan writes the Bills will not hire a coach until they bring in a legitimate general manager. The Bills have operated without a traditional GM or football operations boss, choosing instead to let team president Russ Brandon, who has a marketing background, handle the role.

NFL Network reporter Jason La Canfora, citing an unnamed source, provides an update on the coaching search: There really hasn't been one yet.

La Canfora reports since the Bills interviewed Mike Shanahan and were snubbed by Mike Holmgren, Jon Gruden and Bill Cowher, the club has decided to sit back and wait.

From La Canfora's blog:

According to the source, a resolution is "a long, long ways away," and the franchise is at the start of what will be a "very thorough process." As expected all along, the Bills could look to several emerging coordinators, though there are few options on the offensive side of the ball. Buffalo would like to install an offensive-minded coach and explosive system, if possible, and is looking for someone who can identify and develop a franchise quarterback -- which is why Holmgren, Shanahan and Gruden were so appealing.

Buffalo television station WIVB reported Monday night the Bills had reached out to former Notre Dame head coach and New England Patriots offensive coordinator Charlie Weis through "back channels."

ESPN's Adam Schefter reports the Buffalo Bills met with coaching candidate Mike Shanahan for seven hours Monday night and Tuesday morning in Denver.

The report suggests Bills chief operating officer Russ Brandon interviewed for Shanahan rather than vice versa.

"We had an excellent meeting," Shanahan told Schefter on Wednesday. "I was really impressed with Russ Brandon and everything he had to say. We're going to stay in touch and see what develops."

The Bills are expected to take their time in making a hire and will interview several more candidates before they find the permanent replacement for Dick Jauron, who was fired last week and replaced with defensive coordinator Perry Fewell on an interim basis.

Almost all of the top-tier candidates have rebuffed the Bills' attempts to talk about the job. Substantive reports have stated Jon Gruden, Bill Cowher and Mike Holmgren have turned them down.

The next wave of candidates might include the likes of Brian Billick, Jim Fassel, Mike Martz and Jim Haslett, but the Bills seem hot for an offensive-minded coach, which could work against Haslett, a former Bills linebacker.

Billick had an 80-64 career record and won a Super Bowl with the Baltimore Ravens. Defense was the foundation of those Ravens teams, but Billick is a lifelong offensive coach who had a star quarterback only once in his nine seasons there. Billick won 13 games with Steve McNair in 2006.

Fassel went 58-53 as head coach of the New York Giants and won an NFC title. Bills fans might note some similarities between their team and the one Fassel took over in 1997. The Giants went 6-10 the year before, but Fassel guided them to a 10-5-1 record and the NFC East championship with Danny Kannel and Dave Brown as his quarterbacks.

Martz coached The Greatest Show on Turf with the St. Louis Rams for six seasons. He went 53-32 and won an NFC title. His offense ranked No. 1 in the NFL in 2000 and 2001 with such stars as Kurt Warner, Torry Holt and Marshall Faulk.

Another offensive-oriented coach who has been mentioned is longtime NFL offensive coordinator Marc Trestman, who has been tearing up the Canadian Football League as head coach of the Montreal Alouettes.

But one major hang-ups the Bills will have is their quarterback situation. They have no obvious starting quarterback on their roster. The organization apparently has given up on Trent Edwards, and Ryan Fitzpatrick isn't held in high regard. Newly acquired third-stringer Brian Brohm is a project.

Many coaches' names will be associated with the opening. Expect some surprises along the way.

There was one specific problem that doomed Dick Jauron with the Buffalo Bills.

It wasn't installing the no-huddle offense. It wasn't signing Terrell Owens. It wasn't firing the offensive coordinator 10 days before the regular-season opener. It wasn't Leodis McKelvin's fumble or Roscoe Parrish's bobble.

What sunk Jauron and led to his dismissal Tuesday can be directly attributed to the Bills' organizational approach at offensive tackle. Jauron certainly had a voice in how they handled it, but vice president of pro personnel John Guy had input and chief operating officer Russ Brandon signed off on it.

Fitting that Jauron was fired the same week "The Blind Side," a major motion picture about the life of Baltimore Ravens rookie tackle Michael Oher, will hit theaters.

The movie is based on the book by Michael Lewis, author of "Moneyball." Oher was the central character in Lewis' book, but the real subject of "The Blind Side: Evolution of a Game" was about how left tackle had evolved into the second most important position in football.

The problem in Buffalo is that they don't have a tackle. Or they've had too many. Either way, it has been a disaster.

What follows is a timeline of how the Bills went from having a respectable pair of tackles to the most abominable group in the NFL.

April 17: Unable or unwilling to negotiate a contract extension, the Bills trade two-time Pro Bowl left tackle Jason Peters to the Philadelphia Eagles for draft picks.

April 25 and 26: Bills decline to select a tackle in the 2009 draft.

April 26: I asked Jauron what the Bills intend to do at tackle.

"We went into the draft having discussed that after the trade of Jason, saying 'Do we feel like we have to have a tackle?' And I think we all agreed ... we're not going to stray far from our grades just to take a tackle," Jauron said.

"We felt like we have guys that can play there. So there's no sense in passing up a guy we think is significantly better at another position just to feel like we've plugged a number in. We weren't going to do that."

Shortly after the draft: Jauron informs right tackle Langston Walker they are moving him to left tackle and right guard Brad Butler they are switching him to right tackle.

May 14: Scouts Inc. analyst Matt Williamson observes "Buffalo might have the worst offensive tackles in the NFL."

Aug. 28: A team source tells me Demetrius Bell, despite a back injury, has overtaken Walker as the Bills' left tackle of choice. Bell is entering his second year and hasn't played in an NFL game.

Sept. 5: Bills cut tackle Kirk Chambers, who started four games in 2008.

Sept. 8: Bills cut Walker, re-sign Chambers. Jauron is asked if he overestimated Walker's ability.

"Probably," Jauron replies. "We clearly felt we could move him in, and he'd do the job. He just wasn't playing up to our expectations. So we felt like it was time to make that move."

Sept. 14: Bills start the season with Bell at left tackle and Butler at right tackle. Their entire opening-night offensive line has 47 career starts among them.

Sept. 20: Butler suffers a season-ending knee injury against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Sept. 22: Rather than pursue veteran help such as Jon Runyan or Damion McIntosh, the Bills pluck rookie tackle Jamon Meredith off Green Bay Packers' practice squad.

Sept. 27: Jonathan Scott starts for Butler at right tackle against the New Orleans Saints. It's Scott's seventh career start in four seasons. ... Bell suffers a groin injury.

Oct. 4: Chambers, inactive the two previous games, starts at right tackle against the Miami Dolphins and gives up 2.5 sacks to first-year outside linebacker Cameron Wake. ... Scott starts at left tackle for Bell.

Oct. 18: Meredith makes his first NFL start at right tackle against the New York Jets.

Nov. 1: Meredith suffers a knee injury against the Houston Texans.

Nov. 15: Bell suffers a right knee injury against the Tennessee Titans. Rookie guard Andy Levitre finishes the game at left tackle.

Nov. 16: Through Week 10, Bell is the NFL's most penalized player regardless of position.

Nov. 17: Bills fire Jauron, name defensive coordinator Perry Fewell interim head coach.

Posted by ESPN.com's Tim Graham

Based on the text messages that lit up my cell phone Monday night after the Buffalo Bills' retching 25-24 loss to the New England Patriots, I knew Leodis McKelvin wasn't going to be a popular man in Western New York this week.

But never would I have thought some Bills zealots would make it personal.

	Elsa/Getty Images
	Some Bills fans went too far in reaction to Leodis McKelvin’s fumble.

The Buffalo News and the Associated Press report vandals left a message on the front lawn of McKelvin's home in suburban Hamburg, N.Y., because he committed a crucial turnover in the final two minutes to help the Patriots pull off a stunning comeback victory.

As someone who has covered sports in Buffalo for almost a decade and is moving back to the area because of the people, I can state that Bills fans are some of the most respectful and passionate supporters I've ever encountered.

This is a region that chanted "We love Scott! We love Scott!" the day after Scott Norwood missed the field goal that would have won the Super Bowl.

"I've got to tell you right now that we're struggling with this right now," Norwood said, fighting through tears at City Hall in January 1991. "I know I've never felt more loved than this right now.

"We all realize the sun's going to come up tomorrow."

McKelvin's not feeling the love these days.

But McKelvin manned up after the game and faced reporters -- unlike Terrell Owens. Several teammates and Bills chief operating officer Russ Brandon buoyed McKelvin with forgiving embraces in the locker room.

But one or more mental midgets used white paint to spell out the game's final score and draw, according to the Buffalo News, "a graphic depiction of the male anatomy."

Ho ho! They sure zinged him!

It was a scene straight out of "All the Right Moves," when Coach Nickerson had his yard vandalized by the townies after a tough loss.

Bills linebacker Kawika Mitchell tweeted: "Its def not a game to b playin. W/ all the safety issues n the NFL its not funny at all. We have Fam at our homes to protect. If u show ur face on my prop Ill make sure I do everythin to keep my Fam safe."

Way to go, morons. Now you have players firing off warning shots.

This type of attention is not what the Bills needed. They've missed the playoffs nine years running, have gone 7-9 three straight seasons and are known for running their team on the cheap. Now people outside the area will think their fans are kooks.

What a marketing brochure that would be for prospective free agents.

The thing is, Buffalo's diehards have been the team's greatest selling point. The club sold 55,000 season tickets this year despite all the futility. Fans traveled to Canton in droves to see owner Ralph Wilson and defensive end Bruce Smith inducted last month.

The mark this incident leaves on the fan base will last much longer than whatever was on McKelvin's lawn.

But whoever perpetrated the sophomoric crime probably was stupid enough to brag about it. Here's hoping they get caught and receive the best punishment I can think of: having their pictures put on television so they can be humiliated in a very public way.

Maybe then they'll understand what it's like to make a mistake on national television.

As for the rest of Buffalo's fans, I have faith in them.

I'd love to see the Bills introduce their defense before Sunday's home opener against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to give the sellout crowd a chance to make amends.

Posted by ESPN.com's Tim Graham

Peters

The Buffalo Bills are raising the white flag on Jason Peters.

Three days after Buffalo Bills chief operating officer Russ Brandon said he expected Peters to remain on the team, the Bills are close to trading him to the Philadelphia Eagles.

ESPN's Sal Paolantonio and John Clayton report Peters has been summoned to Philadelphia to meet with the Eagles front office. The Eagles have 12 picks, including two first-rounders, in next weekend's draft.

Posted by ESPN.com's Tim Graham

	Ed Wolfstein/Icon SMI
	Contract talks between Fred Jackson and the Buffalo Bills are far apart on contract talks.

Running back Fred Jackson is upset with the Buffalo Bills.

Jackson is an exclusive-rights player. Although his contract is up, he doesn't have enough NFL time served to negotiate with other clubs. In other words, Jackson can re-sign with the Bills or buy a ticket if he wants to go to a game.

The Bills and Jackson's agent, Jerry Douglas, have exchanged proposals but remain far apart in negotiations.

But what has agitated Jackson even more were comments from Bills chief operating officer Russ Brandon on Wednesday.

Brandon, speaking at a pre-draft luncheon, was asked about this year's arrests of running back Marshawn Lynch and safeties Donte Whitner and Ko Simpson. Brandon defended the team's reputation and underscored the importance of integrity.

"We always value character," Brandon said. "It goes into the overall operation of our draft and everything we do here when we're evaluating a player."

Brandon's comments compelled Douglas to issue a statement Thursday to ESPN.com and the Buffalo News:

"We find the organization's comments regarding the importance of character very interesting given their position on Fred Jackson. I think it's a fair statement to say that during his three years with the Bills, Fred has demonstrated his high character and that he is second to none in that department, to say nothing of his on-field contributions. Yet the organization is not making the concerted effort to lock in Fred as part of the team's long-term future. Public statements are great as long as you mean what you say."

The Bills declined to respond to Douglas' public volley.

All the Bills had to do to retain Jackson's rights was tender him a one-year offer for $460,000. That is a bargain for one of the NFL's best No. 2 running backs, but not a desirable deal for either Jackson or the Bills.

If he were to sign his tender, he would be playing for a pittance. But he also would become a restricted free agent in 2010, and the Bills could lose him.

Jackson understandably wants a long-term deal. He's already 28 years old, having meandered to the NFL from Division III Coe College to the National Indoor Football League to NFL Europa to the Bills' practice squad.

Jackson last year ran for 571 yards and three touchdowns and caught 37 passes for 317 yards. In the season finale against the New England Patriots, he started and ran 27 times for 136 yards.

His value has increased because of Lynch's off-field troubles. Unless NFL commissioner Roger Goodell reduces the suspension on appeal, Lynch will miss Buffalo's first three games.

Jackson likely is looking for a deal that puts him in line with other No. 2 backs. Other deals for top backup running backs go for about four years and $2.5 million.

The Bills interviewed Fred Taylor and Kevin Jones about joining the backfield but they signed with other teams. Taylor joined the New England Patriots for two years and $5 million. Jones went to the Chicago Bears for two years and $3.5 million.

Other comparables could be Julius Jones (four years, $11.8 million signed in March), Correll Buckhalter (four years, $10 million signed in February), J.J. Arrington (four years, $10 million signed in February) and Chester Taylor (four years, $14.1 million signed in 2006).

Posted by ESPN.com's Tim Graham

New England Patriots

• Hector Longo of the Lawrence Eagle-Tribune goes through the NFL's third-toughest schedule and sees the Patriots going "at least 14-2."
• John Tomase of the Boston Herald trots out five prospects the Patriots could draft in the first round.

Buffalo Bills

• CBSSports.com senior writer Clark Judge thinks Jason Peters still might force the Bills to trade him before the draft.
• Bills executives Russ Brandon and Tom Modrak defend the team's character amid several offseason brushes with the law, Allen Wilson writes for the Buffalo News.
• Bobby April was named special teams coach of the year for the second time in four seasons.

Miami Dolphins

• Miami Herald reporter Jeff Darlington takes a look at draftable cornerbacks the Dolphins might be interested in.

New York Jets

• New York Daily News columnist Gary Myers takes note of how dismayed Jewish fans are that the Jets will play Rosh Hashanah and right before Yom Kippur.
• New York Post reporter Brian Costello previews the start of Rex Ryan's first voluntary minicamp.
  

	Icon SMI
	Will the Bills unload disgruntled LT Jason Peters to avoid another lengthy holdout?

Posted by ESPN.com's Tim Graham

For the past 72 hours, the Buffalo Bills have dominated NFL headlines.

The league suspended Pro Bowl running back Marshawn Lynch for three games, and star receiver Terrell Owens unexpectedly showed up for voluntary workouts.

The most important offseason Bills story, however, regards neither of them.

While cameras search for T.O. and questions swirl around Lynch's latest reprimand, contract angst roils again within left tackle Jason Peters.

To say trouble's on the way would be false. It's already here. More precisely, it never went away.

Just as he did last year by refusing to join the team until two days before the season opener, Peters still wants to be compensated like a franchise cornerstone and quarterback Trent Edwards' blindside protector.

The Bills don't think he's necessarily worth it. Peters' talent is undeniable, but his commitment is dubious.

The drama apparently will drag on awhile. Amid speculation they will unload Peters before the NFL draft to avoid another prolonged holdout, the Bills sound about as far away from trading the two-time Pro Bowler as they are from reaching accord with him.

Peters' trade value will be at its peak before the draft begins April 25, but NFL sources tell ESPN.com it's highly unlikely a deal will materialize by then.

One AFC personnel executive said teams interested in obtaining Peters must open the conversation with first- and third-round draft picks. The Bills are looking for a bundle of assets in return for perhaps the best player at football's second-most-vital position. Those types of proposals haven't been forthcoming.

The Philadelphia Eagles are the team most frequently mentioned as being interested in Peters. They hold the No. 21 and No. 28 draft choices and lost three-time Pro Bowl left tackle Tra Thomas to free agency.

But a league source said the Bills and Eagles haven't held any discussions about Peters.

That Peters remains a Bill through the draft isn't guaranteed. Significant trade talks still could occur during the next two weeks.

The switchboard at One Bills Drive could get flooded with calls from around the league, but the Bills are said to be resigned to the possibility they'll be forced to deal with another holdout that could last through training camp.

"We're anxious that he's present and involved," Bills coach Dick Jauron said last month at the NFL owners' meeting in Dana Point, Calif. "It doesn't serve anybody's purpose when he misses all that time.

"Last year, he didn't show up. We've just got to anticipate that he will, and we've got to keep working in that direction and keep the lines of communication open and believe he's going to show up because that's all we can do."

Good luck with that.

Peters proved last year he's not afraid to boycott mandatory practices, incurring more than $600,000 in fines.

Peters still has two year left on a contract he signed in 2006. He will be paid an average of about $4 million a year -- not bad for a guy who was an undrafted tight end out of Arkansas, but well under market value for an elite left tackle, which he has become. Bills right tackle Langston Walker's contract averages $5 million a year.

Bills chief operating officer Russ Brandon and senior vice president of football operations Jim Overdorf submitted a contract proposal to Peters' agent, Eugene Parker, at the end of last season.

The proposal practically was dismissed out of hand. Counteroffers have been made, but the sides are farther apart than Bill O'Reilly and Keith Olbermann.

Peters wants a deal that pays him eight figures a year. The Miami Dolphins gave No. 1 overall draft pick Jake Long a five-year, $57.5 million deal last spring, making him the highest-paid offensive lineman in NFL history. The Carolina Panthers in February kept All-Pro tackle Jordan Gross from hitting the open market with a six-year contract worth nearly $60 million.

One AFC general manager agreed Peters is a premium tackle and -- in theory -- well worth the Bills' asking price of multiple draft picks, including first- and third-rounders. But the GM questioned whether it would be a prudent investment to give Peters the money he seeks because of perceived dedication issues.

"Once you give him the money, I'm not so sure he plays up to it," the GM said.

Last offseason, with three years remaining on his deal, Peters skipped every offseason workout, mandatory minicamp, training camp and all four preseason games. He begrudgingly reported -- sans new contract -- two days before the regular-season opener.

Peters was scratched from the first game and got off to a slow start while he played himself into game shape. He missed the final two games with a knee injury.

He didn't play nearly as well as he did in 2007, but his peers and opposing coaches voted him to his second straight Pro Bowl.

Internally, the Bills were dismayed Peters received the honor because they feared it would only reinforce the idea he can coast through another offseason and be rewarded.

	Scott Cunningham/Getty Images
	If the Bills do unload Peters, they could draft a replacement in the first round, such as Andre Smith.

A club might be hesitant to trade for Peters in part because it could use a first-round pick on a top rookie tackle rather than send it -- along with other draft choices -- to Buffalo.

For the second straight year, there's impressive talent among offensive tackles in this year's draft class. Baylor's Jason Smith, Alabama's Andre Smith, Virginia's Eugene Monroe and Michael Oher of Ole Miss all are immediate starter material.

Buffalo owns the 11th selection and could take one of those players if they were to trade Peters. With the extra first-round pick they would receive in return, they m
ight draft Oklahoma tight end Brandon Pettigrew or a linebacker.

But one AFC executive remarked that pulling off a multipick deal like the Bills are seeking for Peters would get more difficult as the draft draws nearer.

While that might sound counterintuitive because Peters' trade value should be at its zenith, the executive noted scouts become increasingly passionate about their evaluations as the draft approaches and would become less likely to deal a package of choices.

The New England Patriots, with 11 picks in all and six within the top 97, would be an exception. But the Bills aren't trading Peters within the AFC East.

Then again, based on the vibe emanating from One Bills Drive at the moment, there's a strong possibility they won't trade him at all.

The Bills simply aren't working themselves into a lather to get Peters off their roster.

Much can change over the next two weeks. Maybe the Bills get nervous, some calls get made, a deal gets hammered out and he gets shipped to Philly.

At the every least, the Bills have a Pro Bowl left tackle under contract for two more years.

They would prefer to avoid another holdout, but it's an outcome they probably can't sidestep without a radiant proposal or a serious compromise to make him happy.